DOCSLIB.ORG

TVERC Annual Report 2016-17

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
TVERC Annual Report 2016-17 End of Year Report 2016-17 • • • Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre Sharing environmental information in Berkshire and Oxfordshire 01865 815 451 [email protected] www.tverc.org Follow us on Twitter @TVERC1 END OF YEAR REPORT 2016-17 Camilla Burrow, Director May 2017 P a g e | 1 TVERC is hosted by Oxfordshire County Council End of Year Report 2016-17 • • • CHAIR’S FOREWORD 2016/17 has been another strong year for TVERC despite the upheaval of office moves and uncertainty regarding the future. The staff have coped incredibly well with the move and the unfortunate drop in quality of the ‘new’ offices at Speedwell House and I would like to extend my thanks for the seamless service they provided during the move. The number of data searches was at a record level yet again, undoubtedly influenced to a large extent by the high levels of development activity in the counties. Good progress has been made with diversifying TVERC’s income streams with a number of new data products available to our customers, which is good news given the continued squeeze on the finances of our public sector customers. As we look forward, TVERC is facing another year of uncertainty with the looming prospect of yet another office move on the horizon. Over the course of the coming year we will be looking at the organisational structure to determine how best to ensure that TVERC is as resilient as possible to future changes whilst remaining flexible in order to take advantage of new opportunities. Dominic Lamb MCIEEM Countryside Officer, Planning South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils Camilla Burrow, Director May 2017 P a g e | 2 TVERC is hosted by Oxfordshire County Council End of Year Report 2016-17 • • • SUMMARY There were some staff changes in 2016-17 with Hannah, our admin officer, leaving and being replaced by Kate. We also all moved offices from Eynsham to Oxford city centre which was disruptive but did give us the opportunity to declutter. We increased our data holdings to 1.9 million species records, in addition to collecting negative records for great crested newts and bats. This data was used to carry out some modelling to understand the potential extent of GCN meta-populations in South Oxfordshire & Vale of White Horse. We improved the evidence-base by completing the habitat map of Oxfordshire (previously the coverage was only 36%), updating the Ancient Woodland Inventory in West Berkshire and identifying District and City Wildlife Sites in Cherwell and Oxford. We also carried out a review of Green Infrastructure in Bracknell Forest and surveyed 67 Local Wildlife Sites. We have clarified data-sharing permissions with some key data-providers to enable TVERC to use the species records in the normal business of TVERC without seeking further permission and allow us to publish some of our data as ‘Open Data’ so it is accessible to all and promotes the other data we have available. We were fortunate to get the help of volunteer surveyors on six Local Wildlife Sites, and 23 office volunteers contributed 223 days of their time to help us with data management. We assisted the Ashmolean Natural History Society of Oxfordshire in its undertaking of a Rare Plants Register in Oxfordshire and provided a bespoke data entry form for swift records for the RSPB Oxford Swift City project. We also provided funding (via TOE2) to support three volunteer recording groups to improve the quality, quantity and/or coverage of biological recording. We ran six training courses to help increase identification skills and surveying techniques, in addition to the two conferences. We carried out 800 data searches, an increase from the previous year’s 728 and supplied the usual GIS datasets to the local authorities and Environment Agency to enable them to properly consider the natural environment in decision-making. The funding from Natural England ceased on 1st April 2016. We now have income from a range of sources which means we are resilient to this type of sudden change. However, the decision by NE to stop funding LERCs all across the country is very concerning. This decision appears to show a serious misunderstanding of the need for this evidence-base and the legal and policy requirement for them to use it to make decisions. We ended 2016-17 with a net overspend of £18.8k, which was less of an overspend than we originally forecast and leaves TVERC in a strong position to continue to invest in improving our service and ensuring we are resilient to change. Camilla Burrow, Director May 2017 P a g e | 3 TVERC is hosted by Oxfordshire County Council End of Year Report 2016-17 • • • CONTENTS 1. TVERC team 7 1.1. New admin officer 7 1.2. Structure 8 1.3. Areas of work 8 1.4 Contact details 9 1.5 Geographic Coverage 9 2. TVERC Partners 10 2.1. Organisation 10 2.2. Steering Group 10 2.3 Memorandum of Understanding 10 3. Data Collection and Management 11 3.1. Species records 11 3.2. Datasets 12 3.3 Data Agreements 13 New data agreements: 13 Renewed data agreements: 13 Groups which supplied TVERC with data: 13 Groups/individuals which gave permission for records to be shared publically 14 3.4. Data search Process improvements 14 4. Data Sharing 15 4.1 Data Search Requests 15 4.2 Data Provision to Partners 17 Camilla Burrow, Director May 2017 P a g e | 4 TVERC is hosted by Oxfordshire County Council End of Year Report 2016-17 • • • 5. Data Analysis & Presentation 17 5.1 Improvements to Evidence-Base 17 West Berks Ancient Woodland Inventory 17 Oxon Habitat Mapping 18 Cherwell District Wildlife Sites & Oxford City Local Sites 18 5.2 Monitoring Change 19 Berks Single Data List 160 for LAs 19 Annual monitoring report for LAs 19 Oxfordshire State of Nature 19 5.3 Data Modelling 19 Great-crested newt meta-populations 19 Green Infrastructure 19 6. Local Wildlife Sites 20 6.1 Highlights from the LWS surveys 20 Oxfordshire 20 Berkshire 20 7. Supporting Recorders and Volunteers 21 7.1 Volunteer Recording Groups 21 Ashmolean Natural History Society of Oxfordshire 21 RSPB Swift City 21 Advice and Support 22 Attendence at Meetings / Conferences 22 Recording Grant 23 Camilla Burrow, Director May 2017 P a g e | 5 TVERC is hosted by Oxfordshire County Council End of Year Report 2016-17 • • • 7.2 Training, education & sharing information 24 Training Courses in 2016/17 24 Autumn Recorders Conference - Berkshire 24 Spring Recorders Conference - Oxfordshire 25 8. Finance 26 8.1 Finance Summary 26 8.2 Sources of Funding 27 8.3 Income 28 8.4 Expenditure 29 8.5 Reserve 30 Appendix I - LWS Surveys Carried out in 2016 31 Oxfordshire Surveys 31 Cherwell 31 West Oxfordshire 31 Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire 32 Berkshire Surveys 33 RB Windsor & Maidenhead 33 West Berkshire 33 Wokingham 33 Camilla Burrow, Director May 2017 P a g e | 6 TVERC is hosted by Oxfordshire County Council End of Year Report 2016-17 • • • 1. TVERC TEAM We are a team of ten people, but as some of us work part-time, this is equivalent to 8.7 full-time staff. Camilla Burrow, Director - Development and delivery of the TVERC service. Dan Carpenter, Projects Manager – Delivering services to our local authority partners in Berkshire and Oxfordshire and developing and managing project work. Graham Hawker and Ellen Lee, Biodiversity Data Services Officers – Data management, analysing and presenting data for commercial customers and project work. Julie Kerans and Katherine Holmes, Oxfordshire and Berkshire Biodiversity Data Officers - Surveying local wildlife sites with the help of volunteers, analysing and presenting data for project work. Caroline Coleman, Volunteer Coordinator – Working with TVERC volunteers and recording groups to increase the quality and quantity of wildlife records and build up the volunteer network. Kate Prudden, Admin Officer - Finance, admin & promotional tasks to ensure the smooth running of a busy office. Rachael Clemson and Yolanda Vazquez, Biodiversity Data Assistants - Data management, presenting data for commercial customers and project work. 1.1. NEW ADMIN OFFICER Hannah Boylan left as our Admin Officer in October 2016 to move with her family to the Czech Republic. Kate Prudden started in this role in December 2016. Kate has an applied and research grounding in ecology. She has a 1st class degree in Marine Biology from Liverpool University – completed at the Port Erin Marine Biological Station on the beautiful Isle of Man. She was then employed there for over 3 years as a post-graduate research assistant collecting and analysing commercial fisheries and research vessel data on two local scallop species: Pecten maximus and Aequipecten opercularis. She also had internships and then work with the UK Marine Biological Association in Plymouth. She subsequently worked in a variety of logistics, finance and research project co-ordinator roles mainly within the film production industry and for around 12 years at the Oxford University’s Department of International Development. Prior to joining TVERC Kate was a community wildlife trainee with the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT). She also now works for BBOWT as Oxfordshire Wildlife Sites Project Officer – a role that links neatly back to TVERC who are the project partner. Kate is active in the local wildlife volunteer community including as a Shotover Wildlife committee member and is involved in aspects such as botanical surveying and regular practical conservation work including coppicing and heathland restoration. Camilla Burrow, Director May 2017 P a g e | 7 TVERC is hosted by Oxfordshire County Council End of Year Report 2016-17 • • • 1.2.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Land East of Watmore Lane, Winnersh Ecological Appraisal
    Date: November 2010 Land East of Watmore Lane, Winnersh Ecological Appraisal Prepared by CSa Environmental Planning On behalf of Taylor Wimpey UK Ltd Prepared Authorised Remarks Date File Ref by by First Issue - 18/11/10 AP/CC AM 166801 Report No. CSA/1668/01 Land East of Watmore Lane, Winnersh Ecological Appraisal Contents 1.0 Introduction 3 2.0 Methodology 4 Desktop Biological Records Search 4 Field Survey 4 Evaluation and Assessment 4 3.0 Ecological Context 9 Designated Sites 9 Biodiversity Action Plans 10 Planning Policy Statement 9 11 4.0 Site Description and Evaluation 12 General Site Description 12 Habitats 12 Fauna 15 Evaluation of Ecological Features 18 5.0 Discussion & Recommendations 20 Potential Impacts & Recommendations 20 Ecological Enhancement 25 6.0 Summary and Conclusions 26 Appendices Appendix A Magic Database Site Check Report and Plan Appendix B Data Search Response from TVERC Appendix C Data Search Response from Berkshire Bat Group Appendix D Data Search Response from Berkshire Ornithological Society Appendix E Habitats Plan CSA/1668/100 Taylor Wimpey UK Ltd CSa Environmental Planning 2 1668_01 November 2010 Land East of Watmore Lane, Winnersh Ecological Appraisal 1.0 Introduction 1.1 This report has been prepared by CSa Environmental Planning on behalf of Taylor Wimpey UK Ltd. It sets out the findings of an Ecological Appraisal of land east of Watmore Lane, Winnersh. The survey has been commissioned to provide an initial overview of potential ecology issues to inform proposals for residential development at the site. 1.2 This ecological appraisal aims to: • Undertake a desktop search for relevant biological records and assess their significance; • Review the site in relation to its wider ecological context; • Describe and map the habitats present at the site; • Identify any potential protected or notable species issues; • Specify any detailed survey work that may be required; • Assess potential impacts; and • Recommend appropriate mitigation and biodiversity enhancement measures.
    [Show full text]
  • Vegetation Management Site Specification – Wokingham to Reading
    Wessex Route CP6 Year 1 - Vegetation Management Site Specification – Wokingham to Reading 1. Site of Work Wokingham Station to Reading Station 2. Vegetation Management Overview The line of route between Wokingham and Reading is generally a heavily wooded urban area, which narrows in places and runs through a series of cuttings and embankments. Management of lineside vegetation between Wokingham and Reading has been overlooked in recent years and as a result, this route now tops Network Rail Wessex’s priority list for vegetation management. Lineside vegetation along this route is to be managed in order to prevent it causing obstruction and damage to either the rail network or to our lineside neighbours. In considering the work required, several criteria have been considered: • All lines of route must have a safe cess (walkway) for staff who are required to walk along the lineside to carry out their duties. A minimum 7 metre wide cut-back of vegetation has been specified in order to maintain a 6 metre wide vegetation-free corridor either side of the outermost rails. • Embankments supporting the railway tracks generally need vegetation to be retained at the bottom third of their slope in order to maintain stability at the toe of the embankment. In certain circumstances all vegetation is removed to allow for retaining structures to be installed. Where vegetation has the potential to cause an issue to Network Rail’s lineside neighbours it is to be removed. • There are several cutting slopes (where the railway is lower in elevation than the surrounding terrain) on the Wokingham to Reading route.
    [Show full text]
  • List of Local Wildlife Sites in Wokingham 2018.Pdf
    Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre Sharing environmental information in Berkshire and Oxfordshire Local Wildlife Sites in Wokingham, Berkshire - 2017 This list includes Local Wildlife Sites. Please contact TVERC for information on: site location and boundary area (ha) designation date last survey date site description notable and protected habitats and species recorded on site Site Code Site Name District Parish SU76B04 Highgrove Copse Wokingham BC Swallowfield SU76B05 St. Leger's Copse, Collin's Copse Wokingham BC Swallowfield SU76C04 Wood North of Beech Hill Wokingham BC Swallowfield Coverts/Clayhill SU76C05 Norman's Shaw Wokingham BC Swallowfield SU76C07 Wood and Ditch/Moat Wokingham BC Swallowfield SU76D02 Woods Between Whitehouse and Wokingham BC Shinfield Highlands SU76D04 Clare's Green Road Grasslands Wokingham BC Shinfield SU76E01 Great Lea Pond Wokingham BC Shinfield SU76G01 The Marshes, Riseley Wokingham BC Swallowfield SU76H01 Cuckoo Pen Wokingham BC Swallowfield SU76H02 Great Wood Wokingham BC Swallowfield SU76I06 The Grove Wokingham BC Shinfield SU76J01 Shinfield Park, Nore's Hill Wokingham BC Shinfield SU76J02 Pearmans Copse Wokingham BC Shinfield SU76L02 Wheeler's Copse.Featherstone Wokingham BC Swallowfield Copse SU76M01 Farley Hill Woods, Great Copse and Wokingham BC Swallowfield New Plantation SU76M03 Long Copse (South) and Robin Wokingham BC Arborfield and Hood Copse Newland SU76M04 Wyvol's Copse Wokingham BC Swallowfield SU76M06 Spring Copse and Long Copse Wokingham BC Arborfield and (North) Newland SU76N01
    [Show full text]
  • Local Wildife Sites Wokingham - 2021
    LOCAL WILDIFE SITES WOKINGHAM - 2021 This list includes Local Wildlife Sites. Please contact TVERC for information on: • site location and boundary • area (ha) • designation date • last survey date • site description • notable and protected habitats and species recorded on site Site Code Site Name District Parish SU76B04 Highgrove Copse Wokingham BC Swallowfield SU76B05 St. Leger's Copse, Collin's Copse Wokingham BC Swallowfield SU76C04 Wood North of Beech Hill Wokingham BC Swallowfield Coverts/Clayhil SU76C05 Norman's Shaw Wokingham BC Swallowfield SU76C07 Wood and Ditch/Moat Wokingham BC Swallowfield SU76D02 Woods Between Whitehouse Wokingham BC Shinfield and Highlands SU76D04 Clare's Green Road Grasslands Wokingham BC Shinfield SU76E01 Great Lea Pond Wokingham BC Shinfield SU76G01 The Marshes, Riseley Wokingham BC Swallowfield SU76H01 Cuckoo Pen Wokingham BC Swallowfield SU76I06 The Grove Wokingham BC Shinfield SU76J01 Shinfield Park, Nore's Hill Wokingham BC Shinfield SU76J02 Pearmans Copse Wokingham BC Shinfield SU76L02 Wheeler's Copse.Featherstone Wokingham BC Swallowfield Copse SU76M01 Farley Hill Woods, Great Copse Wokingham BC Swallowfield and New Plantation SU76M03 Long Copse (South) and Robin Wokingham BC Arborfield and Hood Copse Newland SU76M04 Wyvol's Copse Wokingham BC Swallowfield SU76M06 Spring Copse and Long Copse Wokingham BC Arborfield and (North) Newland SU76N01 Moor Copse Wokingham BC Arborfield and Newland SU76N02 Pound Copse Wokingham BC Arborfield and Newland SU76N03 Rounds Copse Wokingham BC Arborfield and Newland
    [Show full text]
  • Wokingham Living List 2019
    LOCAL WILDIFE SITES IN WOKINGHAM - 2019 This list includes Local Widlife Sites. Please contact TVERC for information on: • site location and boundary • area (ha) • designation date • last survey date • site description • notable and protected habitats and species recorded on site Site Code Site Name District Parish SU86B02 Fishers Copse Bracknell Forest Borough Sandhurst and Council and Wok Finchampstead SU86J02 Pockets Copse Bracknell Forest Borough Binfield and Council and Wokingham BC St. Nicholas SU87F06 Swains Copse Wokingham BC and Bracknell St Nicholas Forest BC SU87C08 Grassland Opposite Blackthorn Farm Wokingham BC and Windsor Ruscombe and Maidenhead SU86J01 Big Wood Bracknell Forest Borough Binfield and Council and Wokingham BC Wokingham SU87D05 Windsor Ait Windsor and Maidenhead & Waltham St Lawrence Wokingham BC SU87E02 Bear Grove Lindenhill Wood Wokingham BC SU76U03 Bearwood Estate - Woods and Lakes Wokingham BC Arborfield and Newland SU78R02 Branfords Woodlands Wokingham BC Remenham SU76Y06 Brook Farm Meadow Wokingham BC Barkham SU78W05 Cannon Wood Wokingham BC Remenham SU78R03 Chalk Grassland Remenham Wokingham BC SU76D04 Clare’s Green Road Grasslands Wokingham BC Shinfield SU76R04 Claypits Copse Wokingham BC Finchampstead SU76H01 Cuckoo Pen Wokingham BC Swallowfield SU87E04 Cuttler’s Coppice Wokingham BC Wargrave SU76W06 East Court Woods Wokingham BC Finchampstead SU78V06 Fairman’s Wood/Little Fairman’s Wokingham BC Wargrave Wood SU86B01 Finchamstead Ridges Wokingham BC Finchampstead SU76W01 Fleet Copse Wokingham BC Finchampstead
    [Show full text]
  • Rare Plant Register
    1 BSBI RARE PLANT REGISTER Berkshire & South Oxfordshire V.C. 22 MICHAEL J. CRAWLEY FRS UPDATED APRIL 2005 2 Symbols and conventions The Latin binomial (from Stace, 1997) appears on the left of the first line in bold, followed by the authority in Roman font and the English Name in italics. Names on subsequent lines in Roman font are synonyms (including names that appear in Druce’s (1897) or Bowen’s (1964) Flora of Berkshire that are different from the name of the same species in Stace). At the right hand side of the first line is a set of symbols showing - status (if non-native) - growth form - flowering time - trend in abundance (if any) The status is one of three categories: if the plant arrived in Britain after the last ice age without the direct help of humans it is defined as a native, and there is no symbol in this position. If the archaeological or documentary evidence indicates that a plant was brought to Berkshire intentionally of unintentionally by people, then that species is an alien. The alien species are in two categories ● neophytes ○ archaeophytes Neophytes are aliens that were introduced by people in recent times (post-1500 by convention) and for which we typically have precise dates for their first British and first Berkshire records. Neophytes may be naturalized (forming self-replacing populations) or casual (relying on repeated introduction). Archaeophytes are naturalized aliens that were carried about by people in pre-historic times, either intentionally for their utility, or unintentionally as contaminants of crop seeds. Archaeophytes were typically classified as natives in older floras.
    [Show full text]
  • Landscape Report
    LAND SOUTH OF OLD BATH ROAD, SONNING, WOKINGHAM PROPOSED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT LANDSCAPE REPORT on behalf of Arlington Retirement Lifestyles October 2020 Enplan, Gloucester House, 399 Silbury Boulevard, Milton Keynes MK9 2AH Offices also at Tunbridge Wells Directors: PG Russell-Vick DipLA CMLI • MA Carpenter BA(Hons) MRTPI • RJ Hodgetts BA(Hons) DipLA CMLI 01908 303701 [email protected] www.enplan.net Enplan is the trading name of Enplan UK Limited. Registered in England & Wales with Company Number 4608553. A list of directors is available at the registered office; Preston Park House, South Road, Brighton, BN1 6SB. THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK 2 | Enplan ref 06-941 Land to the west of The Range Landscape Report September 2020 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 5 2.0 LANDSCAPE RELATED PLANNING POLICY CONTEXT .................................. 7 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF, February 2019): ............................. 7 Core Strategy (2010)............................................................................................. 8 Managing Development’ Delivery Local Plan (2014) ............................................ 9 Wokingham Local Plan ....................................................................................... 11 3.0 LANDSCAPE CONTEXT .................................................................................... 13 Landscape Character .........................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • GAZELLE CLOSE, WINNERSH Ecologocal Impact Assessment (Ecia)
    GAZELLE CLOSE, WINNERSH Ecologocal Impact Assessment (EcIA) for Roy Wood Transits Ltd April 2017 01 April 2017 © The Landmark Practice 2017 All rights reserved. No part of this document may be produced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of The Landmark Practice. The Landmark Practice is a division of Landmark Environmental Consultants Ltd (Limited Company No 1939302). Landmark Ref: 2955 Client: Roy Wood Transits Ltd This document was produced under Landmark contract for Roy Wood Transits Ltd. Version Prepared by Checked by Approved by Issued D01 AP/MCIEEM RP/MCIEEM BR/MCIEEM AP/MCIEEM 20/03/2017 21/03/2017 22/03/2017 24/03/2017 FV AP/MCIEEM 21/04/2017 *D denotes a Draft version The information which we have prepared and provided is true, and has been prepared and provided in accordance with the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management’s Code of Professional Conduct. We confirm that the opinions expressed are our true and professional bona fide opinions. Tel: 0117 923 0455 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) has been prepared to assess the potential impacts of a proposed camper van showroom and car parking development at Gazelle Close, Winnersh by Roy Wood Transits Ltd. The report describes the ecological survey work undertaken to inform the application scheme, considers the impacts of the proposed development on the ecology of the site and its environs and describes the strategy devised to inform suitable mitigation and/or compensation measures required to address these impacts.
    [Show full text]
  • Description Landscape Character Areas
    Description The LCT is characterised by a shelving and undulating landform underlain by London Clay. There are large tracts of post-war settlement, connected by both major and minor roads cutting across the landscape. Areas of large arable fields remain, as well as tributaries draining towards the Loddon. Landscape Character Areas The Settled and Farmed Clay LCT is subdivided into four Landscape Character Areas: • J1: Wokingham-Winnersh Settled and Farmed Clay • J2: Arborfield Cross and Barkham Settled and Farmed Clay • J3: Spencers Wood Settled and Farmed Clay • J4: Woodley-Earley Settled and Farmed Clay Wokingham Borough Landscape Character Assessment 225 November 2019 J1: Wokingham-Winnersh SettledFarmed Clay and I4 E J4 C2 B1 I1 A2 Bracknell C1 Forest L1 N1 J2 Settlement Boundary 0 0.5 1 SDL Boundary km M1 © Crown copyright and database rights 2019 Ordnance Survey 0100031673 Character Area J1: Wokingham-Winnersh Settled and Farmed Clay SUMMARY The area encompasses large areas of urban development, including the northern half of Wokingham and residential areas of Winnersh (which do not form part of this assessment). Small areas of arable fields and open space between these larger urban areas separate the settlements. The area is fragmented by large transport corridors including the M4 and A329 (M). The Wokingham-Winnersh Settled and Farmed Clay stretches from the edge of the Winnersh Triangle east towards the borough boundary. The boundaries have largely been informed by land use patterns. The northern and eastern boundaries follow the A329 (M), and mark the edge of character area I1: Ashridge Farmed Clay Lowland. The western boundaries are the transition to the wooded character of L1: Bearwood Wooded Sand and Gravel Hills and the river influences of C1: Arborfield River Terrace.
    [Show full text]
  • 13Th February 2015 the University of Reading C/O Mr Paul Mcateer
    13th February 2015 The University of Reading c/o Mr Paul McAteer Assistant Project Manager Parsons Brinckerhoff Management Services - Sustainable Building Solutions South URS Building, Whiteknights Campus The University of Reading Shinfield Road Reading RG6 6AX Dear Paul, URS Building, The University of Reading Whiteknights Campus – Ecological Appraisal and Bat Building Inspection Thank you for commissioning EPR to carry out an ecological survey to inform the proposed redevelopment of the University of Reading URS building. Redevelopment proposals currently comprise renovation works to include cosmetic alterations to the building, such as replacement of cladding. There is also potential for a further floor to be added to the structure and the existing undercroft to be enclosed, creating a useable studio space. The full extent of redevelopment plans has not yet been finalised. I therefore decided to complete an Ecological Appraisal of the URS building and its surroundings with the aim of identifying potential ecological constraints and opportunities associated with any future works to the building as fully as possible, to inform development of the proposals. The URS building lies within a complex of teaching blocks and office buildings, interspersed with amenity gardens and ornamental planting, at the centre of the University of Reading Whiteknights Campus (National Grid Reference: SU 7332 7172) (Map 1). The campus is located to the south- west of Reading City centre within a largely residential urban setting. This letter provides a summary of survey methods, results and arising recommendations following a site visit, during which an initial Ecological Appraisal and Bat Inspection of the URS building and the predicted potential Zone of Influence of redevelopment works (hereafter “the Site”) (Map 1) was conducted.
    [Show full text]
  • TV Studio @ Cine Valley Ecological Appraisal
    TV Studio @ Cine Valley Ecological Appraisal Prepared on behalf of University of Reading Final Report 12 January 2021 20/40-2A Ecological Planning & Research Ltd The Barn, Micheldever Station, Winchester, Hampshire SO21 3AR Tel: 01962 794720 Fax: 01962 794721 email: [email protected] www.epr.uk.com TV Studio @ Cine Valley Ecological Appraisal Report Release Sheet Draft/Final: Final Report Issue Number: 20/40-2A Date: 12 January 2021 Client: University of Reading Whiteknights Campus Reading Berkshire RG6 6AH Main Author(s): Katie Cammack BSc (Hons) Msc GradCIEEM Report Prepared for Issue by: Katie Cammack BSc (Hons) MSc GradCIEEM Report Approved for Issue by: Alison Hogan BSc (Hons) MSc MCIEEM Ecological Planning & Research Ltd The Barn, Micheldever Station, Winchester, Hampshire SO21 3AR Tel: 01962 794720 Fax: 01962 794721 email: [email protected] www.epr.uk.com TV Studio @ Cine Valley Ecological Appraisal Contents 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 1 2. NATURE AND EXTENT OF PREDICTED BIOPHYSICAL CHANGES ....................... 3 3. ECOLOGICAL CONTEXT .......................................................................................... 4 4. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS .............................................................................. 9 5. REFERENCES ......................................................................................................... 10 MAPS Map 1 Site Location & Nature Conservation Designations Map 2 Habitats & Features
    [Show full text]
  • Mohawk Way / Sandford Lane, Woodley Phase 1 Survey
    Mohawk Way / Sandford Lane, Woodley Phase 1 Survey & Ecological Assessment Mohawk Way Ecological Assessment Introduction This survey was commission to provide an initial ecological assessment and Phase 1 habitat survey of the proposed development site at the Junction of Mohawk Way and Sandford Lane in Woodley, Berkshire (Application No. O/2013/1212). In total, the site covers 1.8 ha. The site is bounded by residential properties on the western side, with a pumping station occupying the northern boundary. Mohawk Way lies to the west, with Sandford lane to the south (Figure 1). Figure 1. Mohawk Way / Sandford Lane site boundaries. Method This assessment was compiled using a combination of field survey visits and a desktop study. The ecological assessment of the site was carried out an experienced ecological surveyor, with visits being made to the site between April and October 2012. A follow-up visit was made to the site in August 2013 to ensure the information on habitats remains current. Visual surveys of the site were undertaken with notes being made of the nature and type of vegetation and any species of interest being recorded. Matthew Smith BSc ARCS FRES MCIEEM Page 1 Mohawk Way Ecological Assessment The desktop portion of the assessment was carried out using a datasearch provided by the Thames Valley Environmental Record Centre (TVERC) in August 2013. The datasearch asked for information relating to protected species and other species of interest noted either on site or within a 1km radius of the site centre. The full TVERC datasearch is attached to this report as an Appendix.
    [Show full text]